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SAT Scores: How To Deal With The Results

If you’re like me, taking tests is not your forte. The second I get to class, pencil poised in my hand, the thoughts begin to swirl around in my head uncontrollably until I get the test and my mind decides to go blank. Sound familiar? You’re flooded with relief when it’s over until you see the envelope in your mailbox, and see the unusually low number.

What do you do now?

Take Deep Breaths. Panicking and freaking out, thinking your life is over is a big mistake. Sure, it’s completely normal to get upset and cry a little – I know I did when I first saw mine. But don’t let this take control and start thinking your future of going to college is history.

First things first. Once you take a look at your score what you need to do is go and talk to your counselor. Don’t be afraid to let him/her know your feelings about it. Also, be sure to let them know what colleges you’re considering attending. This will help them guide you as to what the expectations are that need to be met.

The next step you need to consider is: Will you want to re-take it? As much as you may not want to, in order to apply for college after your senior year in high school it is necessary to have a decent score on the SAT. This would generally mean re-taking it. Don’t be scared, there are many things you can do differently.

Study ahead of time. Maybe you didn’t start studying till a week or two before, or maybe you waited till it was even closer to begin studying. It’s never a good idea to do this. Always give yourself ample time to go over everything that may be on the test.

Buy a couple SAT books. This may seem obvious for studying, but a lot of the time there are sample SAT tests inside these books and you can practice sitting at home and timing yourself. You may be surprised at how you do when you’re under the pressure of a clock even at the comfort of your home. This way, it can help relieve some test anxiety and it won’t feel like the first time when it comes time to taking the real test.

Talk to your teachers/counselor. They really can give you some great advice on what areas you should focus on studying in order to get a better test result.

At the end of it all if you really don’t feel up for re-taking it you can always consider going to a community college. They don’t require an SAT score to attend, but you will have to take placement tests in order to be placed in the appropriate level for math and writing classes.

You have to realize that some people just aren’t the best test takers, and colleges are well aware of this. They aren’t basing your admission on just this alone. There are many other factors that they take into consideration. So, if you don’t have the ideal score still after re-taking it don’t let it get you down. Universities are looking at not only this, but your GPA, extracurricular activities, awards, personal essays on the application, and anything else that makes you stand out from the crowd.

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Kali White

Kali White is a junior at the University of California, Davis pursuing a degree in Communications and a minor in Sociology. Her goal is to have a career working for a publication company writing and editing. In her free time she enjoys the outdoors, reading, playing and listening to music, and travelling.